Rick DuCharme Founder, First Coast No More Homeless Pets
Ducharme is one of the nation’s leading animal advocates and visionaries. Once an animal welfare volunteer, Ducharme turned his experience into larger action when he became a member of the Mayor’s Task Force for Animal Control in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2002, he founded First Coast No More Homeless Pets (FCNMHP), a 501C3 dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in Florida’s Duval County.
Under Ducharme’s leadership, the Duval County area embraced nonlethal programs especially TNR. The famous Feral Freedom program was his creation. FCNMHP also operates other lifesaving initiatives, including a regional pet food bank and two hospitals staffed with 20+ veterinarians.
Ducharme was also one of three founders of the Target Zero Institute, a program that has helped dozens of communities transform to achieve higher shelter live release rates.
Now, Ducharme has founded RLD Consulting Group, LLC to help organizations and spay/neuter clinics working to save more dogs and cats. The group specializes in access to veterinary care, spay and neuter clinics, and other topics of importance to animal nonprofits.